Eraser-cleaning apparatus



Jan. 1:

G. w. EMMONS ERASER CLEANING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 7 Filed Oct. 21. 1921 Patented Jan. 1, 1924.

GEORGE WASHINGTON EMMONS, OF ONTARIO, WlSGONSIN.

ERASER-CLEANING APPARATUS.

Application filed October 21, 1921.

Z '0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE WASHINGTON EMMoNs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ontario, in the county of Vernon and State of l/Visconsin, have lnvented certain new and useful Improvements 1n an Eraser-Cleaning Apparatus; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the :sa-me.

The object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for use in connection with the cleaning or removal of chalk dust from black board erasers and the like and which under ordinary circumstances are cleaned simply by striking the face of the eraser upon a flat object or clapping two erasers together, one being held in each hand with the disadvantage that the flying dust fills the air to the discomfort of the operator and everyone in the vicinity of the operation and the dust collects on surrounding objects with resultant annoyance; and more particularly the object is to provide a holder or frame in which a plurality of erasers may be placed as they become filled with chalk dust and in which they may be secured in proper as position to be cleaned in one operation either by means of abroom or a suction cleaning apparatus, the rack serving as a dispensing means from which the cleaned erasers may subsequently be withdrawn one at the time as they are required for use and which may be suspended in a convenient position in the school or class room with the erasers readily accessible to the pupils; and with these objects in view the invention consists in a construction, combination and relation of parts of'which a preferred embodiment is illustrated in the drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a view in front elevation of the cleaning apparatus, parts of the apparatus being broken away for the purpose of clearness.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the plane indicated by the line 22 of Figure 6.

Figure 3. is a view in front elevation of the lower portion of the base of the apparatus.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on a plane extending centrally and longitudinally through the apparatus.

Serial No. 509,378.

Figures 5 and 6 are edge views of the apparatus showing the clamping means respectively in closed and open position.

Figure 7 is a detail view of one of the links of the clamping frame.

Figure 8 is a detail view of one of the side bars of the slide frame, and

Figure 9 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale taken on the plane indicated by the line 99 of Figure 6.

The apparatus consists essentially of two relatively slidable members represented in the construction illustrated as a base 10 and a guide frame 11, the latter consisting of side bars connected at their upper ends by a round or handle 12 and side bars of the frame 11, being mounted upon the side edges of the base member 10 by means. of slots 13 in the frame 11 engaging headed guide pins 14 on the base member 10; and a clamping frame mounted for swinging movement with relation to the relatively slidable members 10 and 11 and consisting essentially of the side bars 15 connected by transverse bearing bars 16 and connected with the base by means of links 17. I

The relatively slidable base and frame of which the lowermost bar 18 is secured by screws 18 or like fastening means to the base member at its lower edge, the uppermost bar 19 is carried by the frame member by having the reduced terminals 19 thereof fitted in openings 19 in the, side bars of the frame member and secured by setscrews 19, while the intermediate holding bars 20, of which any desired number may be employed are movable relatively to both the base member and the frame member, longitudinally thereof, the reduced extremitiesQO thereof being fitted 1n elongated openings or slots 20 in the side bars of the frame member.

These holder bars are undercut at their upper and lower edges to form bevels 21 for engagement with the end edges of the backs 29 of the black board erasers E, so that when the backs of the erasers are disposed upon the surface of the base member and the holder bars are relatively adjusted to bear against the said eraser backs, the latter are clamped rigidly in the rack so that a broom or pneumatic cleaner may readily be used to remove the dust from the fibre portions thereof. This adjustment of the holder bars is effected by a relatively longitudinal movemembers carrying a plurality of holder bars ment of the base and frame members of the rack, the baseomembereither being moved upwardly in the frame member or the frame member downwardly with relation to the base member, so as to force the terminal holder members 18 and 19 toward each other. The intermediate loose members 20 are adapted to accomodate themselves to the length of the erasers interposed therebetween as openings or slots 19 are shorter than thoseat 2O so that an effective clampstands outward fromlthe plane of. the main [bearing .uponthe holder bars 20, the mov ment of the side bars of-the clamp fr frearwardly toward the plane of the members, the latter may be locked in members consisting of the base and slide frame as indicatedin Figure 2 so that the transversebars .16 form rests to receive the erasers with thelower edges oftheir backs causesthe relative sliding movement of the base and slide frame members and also the folding of the erasers into their proper position for engagement by the holder bars 13, 19 and 20, and when the clamp frame has reached a position parallel with the main their eraser clamping relations by latches 25 pivoted as at 26 upon the slide frame side members and provided with studs 27 for selective engagement with seats 28 or" which a series is arranged at each side edge of the base member near its upper end. The base member is also preferably provided with a hand hold 29 at its upper end which serves as ahanger for engagement with a nail or hook by which therack may be suspended on the wall within convenient reach of the pupils so that with the rack in the open position the erasers may readily be with drawn successively as required or may be replaced therein as they become filled with dust and require cleaningj t is the usual practice after each days school session for the janitor 'or other authorized person .to remove the erasers for the purpose of cleaning them preparatory to the next days session and with the appa ratus described it .is only necessary for the operator to closethe rack to clamp and lock vthe erasers therein and then carry the same to a convenient place where a broom or .pneumatic cleaner may be employed, the surfaces of all of the fiber members of the .erasers,being in a common plane to facilivrate th lean ng. operation.

As a further convenience the lower end of the base member may. be provided with lugs or feet 30 adapted to be rested upon the floor or a table or other like support.

In clamping or releasing the erasers, the base 10 may be held against moven'ient by grasping the hand hold 29 in one hand and the guide frame 11 moved with respect to the base 10 through the medium of the handle 12 grasped in the other hand. One way of manipulating theapparatus to effect a release of the erasers after they have been cleaned, is to first swing the latches 25 out of the notches 28, and thence, while holding the base 10 against movement through the medium of the hand hold 29, move the guide frame 11 uowardl with res acct. thereto through the medium of the handle 12. This manipulation of the guide frame 11 with respect to the base 10 moves the holcer bars 19 and 20 vertically or into spread relation and moves the bars 16 outwar ly and-away from the holder bars 19.1and 20 to aposition where links 17 are substantially horizontal. The erasers are thus released but will-tilt forwardly and downwardly resting against bar 16 and with their lower ends still in engagement with the holder bars 19 and 20,

from which position the ma T be individually removed as occasion requires.

lVhile the preferred embodiment of this invention is shown and described it will be understood that minor changes in the details of construction and arrangement of :parts may be resorted to within the scope of what is claimed without'departing from'the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described the invention what I claim is 1. An eraser holding and eleaning'rack having relatively slidable base andiframe members and transverse holder bars between which the er-asers may be arrangedythe terminal bars being carried respectively by said members and the intermediateubars be ing loose for movement to suit the length of the interposed eraser.

2. ran eraser holding and cleaning rack having relatively slidable base and frame members and transverse holder barsbetween which the erasers may be arrangechthe terminal bars being carried respectively by said members and the intermediate bars being loose for novement to suit the length of the interposed eraser, the spacing edges of the holder bars being under cut for'engagement with the end edges of the eraser backs.

3. An eraser holding and cleaning rack having relatively slidable base: and frame members and transverse holder bars between which the verasers maybe arranged, the terminal bars being carried respectivelyby said members and the intermediate bars being loose for. movement to suit the 1 length of the interposed eraser, and the latch mechanism loose for movement to suit the length of the' interposed eraser, and latch mechanism for securing said members in their eraser clamping relation, and consisting of latch members pivoted upon the frame members for engagement with seats on the base member.

5. An eraser holding and cleaning rack having relatively slidable base and frame members and transverse holder bars between which the erasers may be arranged, the terminal bars being carried respectively said members and the intermediate bars being loose for movement to suit the length of the interposed eraser, and a swinging clamp member having cross bars movable toward and from the plane of said relatively slidable members for supporting the erasers in inclined relation with the base member.

6. An eraser holding and cleaning rack having relatively slidable base and frame members and transverse holder bars between which the erasers may be arranged, the terminal bars being carried respectively by said members and the intermediate bars being loose for movement to suit the length of the interposed eraser, and a swinging clamp member having side bars connected by transverse rest bars movable toward and from the plane of the base member and links connecting said side bars with the base member.

7 An eraser holding and cleaning rack having relatively slidable base and frame members and transverse holder bars between which the erasers may be arranged, the terminal bars being carried respectively by said members and the intermediate bars being loose for movement to suit the length of the interposed eraser, and a clamp member having side bars connected by transverse rest bars and links carrying the side bars, pivotally mounted upon the side edges of the base member and connected with the side bars of the frame member for effecting relative sliding movement of the base and frame memers.

8. 'An eraser holding and cleaning rack having relatively slidable base and frame members and transverse holder bars between which the erasers may be arranged, the terminal bars being carried respectively by said members and the intermediate bars being loose for movement to suit the length of the interposed eraser, and a swinging clamp member having side bars connected by transverse rest bars and links having pivotal connections respectively with the base and frame members.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE WASHINGTON EMMON S. Witnesses:

G. M. LownR, ING. M. CHANDLER. 

